Congress Party And Its Failed Policies On Pak And J&k

It is common knowledge that the Kashmir problem is a self goal by Nehru, who in order to gain recognition as a world statesman and a man of peace went to the UN Security Council went against the advice of the Indian Army and also against the wishes of big wig Indian politicians, just at the time when India was poised to launch its final offensive against a defeated and fatigued Pakistani Army, which was already falling back.

The current Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) consisting of basically Gilgit-Baltistan would have been under India's control had Nehru listened to the advice of the Indian Army. What was the tearing hurry for Nehru to rush to the UN Security Council where British were just waiting to trap India in getting involved in Kashmir problem is something which needs further research. This probably is the only example in military history of the world where a winning country squandered its advantage just at the whim of its top leader.

Ok, let us accept the fact that Nehru, due to his inexperience on strategic matters related with military made a mistake, for which the nation must pardon him. However, what is inexplicable is that after this initial mistake, why did the subsequent Congress governments which ruled this country for almost 60 years and even the NDA government of Mr AB Vajpayee, that ruled the country from 1999 to 2004, did not set right the defensive policies followed by India towards Pakistan?
Credit must go to the Modi government that after initially continuing with the same weak and defensive Pakistan policy has now changed gear and has literally put Pakistan on the back foot and left it internationally isolated. Some of the major flaws in our Pakistan policy were as follows:

Having gone to the UN and after the UN Security Council ruling that Pakistan must withdraw all its forces from POK, followed by India and then a referendum be held, why did we not insist that Pakistan should first vacate POK?

Pakistan not having vacated POK and India rightly claiming that the erstwhile Maharaja of J&K Hari Singh had decided to merge with India in October, 1947 and hence making the entire J&K state an integral part of India, why did we not clamour that POK has been illegally occupied by Pakistan? We could have opened another front in 1965 or 1971 Indo-Pak wars to capture POK. Why did we hand over Haji-Pir Pass to Pakistan that we had captured in the 1965 Indo-Pak war? This was rightfully our territory?

Pakistan in the 60s ceded to China the 5,000 sq km Shaksgam Valley which was part of POK. Why did we not create a ruckus at the UN, since Pakistan could not ethically do it, the Valley being an international disputed area? This helped China build the Karakorum highway.

Currently, China is investing 46 billion dollars in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which enters Pakistan via POK, why are we comparatively silent? How can China build its CPEC through a disputed territory?

After our success in the 1971 Indo-Pak war with 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war in our hand, how come the Congress government of Indira Gandhi released them without gaining anything substantial from Pakistan in return? It has also being reported that Pakistan is still keeping 70 Indian armed forces prisoners hidden in Pakistan of the 1971 war vintage?

During the Kargil War, Indian armed forces were instructed by the Vajpai government that under no circumstances they will cross the LOC. Why? If Pakistanis could cross the LOC and come into our area in Kargil, why we must have these restrictions?

The root cause of all these problems is that the Indian netas do not take strategic advice from the armed forces that thrive only on strategy. They take advice from the clueless and petty babus. That is why we are always at the receiving end. The time has come for the Indian political masters to repose more faith in the armed forces and take their advice. For this, the Chief of Defence staff system which has been lying sanctioned since 2003 must be implemented. Apart from giving single window advice to our political masters this system will also coordinate the functioning of the three armed services.